SPECTOR® Club - Part 37

[Basstovsky]

Congratulations on the NS-2A! Sweet bass!

Thanks!

I think I might be putting my Euro 4LX up for sale after I get this bass, the Euro is just a bit..."fancy" for me I guess, with the figured wood, gold hardware and active EMGs, I think the NS-2A is going to be "just right" for me and it will probably replace the Euro, though I might pick up a Rebop sometime later once I get some other basses sold.

 

[iceboxbass]

Thanks guys, I have to get another fretless and these Spectorcores come up from time to time

Yeah 1 1/2 years ago they flooded the market and you could grab one $275-500.00!

 

[cableguy]

Sometime at the end of next week will be NBD for me!

Looks like I'm not the only one expecting a NS2A next week. Looks like the one you picked up is in great condition, congrats.

 

[PaulMacCnj]

I was jamming with the ReBop that was recently retrofitted with the EMG active pickups. What a great tone! The bolt-on neck punch and Spector growl really shine. Here are a few things learned:

1) EMG active bass pickups perform better with 18 volts. They were wired for 9 volts. Distortion was noticed and it sounded like there was a limiter in use. Today, another battery was added for 18 volts and now the 35P4 and 35CS sound so much better. EMG isn't kidding when they say that the higher voltage gives increased headroom.

2) I've been having a problem with high frequency squeal on this bass and thought that it might be the HZ pickups. But, even with the actives, the squeal happened whenever I got close to the bass cabinets. I swapped the TonePump with another one that was taken out of my Euro5LX. Hopefully, this will fix the problem. I won't find out until I play through the rig again next week.

3) Removed all the EMG solderless equipment when the other TonePump was installed. Went back to old school soldered connections for everything.

4) About the batteries, there is 18 volts going to the pickups, but I centered tapped between the two batteries and am supplying the TonePump with 9 volts.

5) While the Euro through-neck basses are my favorite Spectors, I can't say enough good things about the ReBops!

 

[PhatBasstard]

About the batteries, there is 18 volts going to the pickups, but I centered tapped between the two batteries and am supplying the TonePump with 9 volts.

Unless you have one of the extremely early non-trim Tone Pumps (ending less than a year after it's introduction in late 2001/early 2002) that had the internal voltage doubler, giving your Tone Pump 18 volts is not a problem. The tap is unneeded.

If it came out of a "Euro 5 LX", trim or not, you're good at 18 volts.

 

[grendle]

Unless you have one of the extremely early non-trim Tone Pumps (ending less than a year after it's introduction in late 2001/early 2002) that had the internal voltage doubler, giving your Tone Pump 18 volts is not a problem. The tap is unneeded.

If it came out of a "Euro 5 LX", trim or not, you're good at 18 volts.

+1

I have found the same with about everything else. 18v with the std hz's is actually really nice too.

 

[Basstovsky]

Can't go wrong with 18V on a 5, really helps with definition on the B, though on a 4 I love the grit and grind so I stick with 9V.

 

[Christian Waiau]

I dont know if this was posted... but its a cool vid of a Fretless Rebop 5

 

[cableguy]

Can't go wrong with 18V on a 5, really helps with definition on the B, though on a 4 I love the grit and grind so I stick with 9V.

Maybe that's one of the reasons the B sounds like crap on my Legend 5. Haz copy with EMG's. The rest of the strings sound great, the B not so much. Coming over from a G&L fiver that's really my only complaint on the bass. The rest is Stellar!

 

[Nate Plays Bass]

Any word on he fretless Rebop necks yet?

 

[XBASSX]

These are the results of my CRFM Refinish from gloss to satin. I sanded down the bass to make it rough, then sprayed Colortone Aerosol Satin over it. I did about 4 coats on body and 5 on back of neck with one can.
Before:

More pics: http://s1153.photobucket.com/albums/p514/Gangsta_Bean/?start=all

That's a fantastic job. It looks so much better than before.

 

[Gabriel51]

Any word on he fretless Rebop necks yet?

"Yes and big change. List is now $500 but then there is a discount on that so end price is $349.99"

 

[delucajohn2000]

I dont know if this was posted... but its a cool vid of a Fretless Rebop 5

Man, that thing sounds amazing!

 

[PaulMacCnj]

It's a 2006 model year bass. That's interesting since I can remember reading about the internal voltage doubler in the late 2005 / early 2006 timeframe (when the Euro5 LX was ordered). Maybe it was false information.

Unless you have one of the extremely early non-trim Tone Pumps (ending less than a year after it's introduction in late 2001/early 2002) that had the internal voltage doubler, giving your Tone Pump 18 volts is not a problem. The tap is unneeded.

If it came out of a "Euro 5 LX", trim or not, you're good at 18 volts.

 

[worshiprocker]

Good practice last night. We auditioned a 2nd guitarist and we feel really good about him. We will be putting him through the paces and see what happens. Playing my Rex and crfm back to back last night, I might try running the Rex at 18v. It sounds great but the lowend is almost too big. The crfm still has more high mid attack. But with two tweaks of the amp I can get them close.
The Rex just feels Soo great. The low profile neck really helps when slinging the bass low like I do. I'm going to wire it up 18v today and try it out.
O ya we got our drum decal installed, I think it looks cool.

 

[e.rich]

"Yes and big change. List is now $500 but then there is a discount on that so end price is $349.99"

Nice. That's more like it.

 

[Nate Plays Bass]

"Yes and big change. List is now $500 but then there is a discount on that so end price is $349.99"

Yeah. That's more like it, and doable.

 

[cableguy]

Good practice last night. We auditioned a 2nd guitarist and we feel really good about him. We will be putting him through the paces and see what happens. Playing my Rex and crfm back to back last night, I might try running the Rex at 18v. It sounds great but the lowend is almost too big. The crfm still has more high mid attack. But with two tweaks of the amp I can get them close.
The Rex just feels Soo great. The low profile neck really helps when slinging the bass low like I do. I'm going to wire it up 18v today and try it out.
O ya we got our drum decal installed, I think it looks cool.

View attachment 275576

Drum head looks great. Good luck on the guitarist. Sometimes getting two of them to co-exist can be hard, but I always prefer 2 live as long as they're not just mirroring each other. It can really add to the textures of a song.

 

[cableguy]

These are the results of my CRFM Refinish from gloss to satin. I sanded down the bass to make it rough, then sprayed Colortone Aerosol Satin over it. I did about 4 coats on body and 5 on back of neck with one can.
Before:

After:

More pics: http://s1153.photobucket.com/albums/p514/Gangsta_Bean/?start=all

That looks awesome Gansta. What grit sandaper did you use? That has me thinking about doing it to my Legend 5. I really like to satin as opposed to the gloss.

 

[armybass]

My 88 NS-2A has the HAZ but the bass pot has been replaced and the treble pot seems to be working kinda funky too. I would like to keep the HAZ and exchange the Spector Pups for some EMG PJX's. Does this seem doable and where might I get to OEM replacement pots for a 1988 MIK HAZ pre?